Worst road in Sussex

Here is a copy of an email sent to West Sussex county council about the state of our roads:

Dear Ms Scarratt,

Thank you for your reply. With respect, this whole issue is about what can be considered acceptable and what can actually be described as disgraceful.

No other road in any county would be permitted to remain in such an appalling condition for such a great length of time without causing uproar.

I raised this issue in July last year – eight months ago – and Harbour Way, as you would expect is in far worse condition today.

Thanking me for my patience is to me writing to Tony Blair and thanking him for increasing the community charge by 121 per cent since his introduction to office.

I note that West Sussex is planning to increase the council tax by a further 4.9 per cent – and it is stipulated that the increase applies to 80 per cent of services, such as schools and roads!

Clearly the council hold a complete disregard for the residents in this part of Shoreham Beach and quoting ‘potholes greater than 40mm deep (our standard intervention level) only adds insult to injury.

On the attached email from last August, your inspector, Andy Thomas, stated he had raised an instruction to fill potholes.

No potholes have ever been filled in Harbour Way either then or since.

Now Southern Water want to make repairs and the fact that you carefully write in brackets the statement ‘(no confirmed date as yet)’ basically translates that this debacle is bound to run into the Autumn.

Quoting that “I am sure you will appreciate that it does not represent good value for money if we were to resurface the road and within a few months major sewer works ripped through the new surface.”

Clearly, your council are getting excellent value for money from our combined council tax payments.

I look forward eagerly, to the councils’ next excuse, Ms. Scarratt.

David Cleaver